Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Suzan-Lori Parks and Oskar Eustis participated in a panel discussion held at the Ford Center on Wednesday, October 26. The panel was held in conjunction with an advance screening of the film Joe Papp in Five Acts by Tracie Holder and Karen Thorsen.

As previously reported, during the event it was announced that The Public has received a $2 million grant from the Ford Foundation for the theater's Going Public capital campaign, which is being used to renovate the theater's longtime home on Lafayette Street. In recognition of the contribution, the renovated Public Theater lobby will be renamed the "Ford Foundation Lobby."

Among the attendees at the event was Papp's widow, Gail Merrifield Papp.